Autumn Night
by Demolition Lovers
Summary: Sometimes, good things need to end. And, most times, it's for reasons that cannot be controlled. [Sequel to Until Death Do We Part]


Howdy . This is a follow-up to Until Death Do We Part, and no, you won't get it unless you read Until Death Do We Part. Enjoyy.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, OK? geez.

**Autumn Night **

It was a chilly night in the middle of October. The wind was biting at my skin as I sat on a bench at the park. The pleasant smell of autumn drifted through the air. Tears were stinging my face. It had been a horrible night.

There wasn't a soul around. The tears kept falling freely from my eyes, making an endlessly cold night worse. After being together for so long, being in perfect harmony, we had a fight. Sure, we'd had fights before, but nothing as bad as this. There was nothing in the world I could think about that would drown out the curses and insults we had thrown at each other only a few hours earlier…

-- 6 hours before –

I was sitting contently in his apartment, waiting for him to come out with some hot chocolate. There was a scented pumpkin pie candle in the middle of the table in the living room, creating a wonderful scent. He came in and handed me a cup of hot chocolate, also placing a gentle kiss on my cheek before sitting down beside me. I cuddled up next to him to get away from the chill of the outside world. It was quiet, and we didn't need anything other than each other at that moment.

"Are you still cold? I'll turn the heat up if you want." He asked me.

"No, I'm fine, Takeru. Thank you." I replied.

"Oh, well, ok. So how was your day?"

I shrugged. "It was alright, I guess. It had its ups and downs." I took a sip from the hot chocolate. I leaned my head on his shoulder, exhausted from the week at school.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're acting weird."

"Takeru, I told you, I'm fine. I just had a rough week is all."

He remained quiet after that. I felt bad for snapping at him. I looked up at him. He looked like he was deep in thought. I leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I love you."

He responded by getting up and heading into the kitchen. Irritated by the week and the way he was acting now, I followed him.

"Takeru, what the hell is your problem?"

He started to pour more hot water into his cup, adding another packet of hot chocolate. "Don't think you can snap at me and then pretend everything's ok."

"Takeru, come on, I had a rough week, and I'm exhausted. Give me a break."

He took his drink and a spoon and walked right by me back into the living room. I was at the top of my anger gauge now.

"Takeru, what the hell is wrong with you? You never act like this."

"Well, maybe I had a bad week too. I have rights to be pissy and moody like you."

"That's not fair, Takeru."

"Don't tell me what's fair and what's not!" He looked up at me. I could see anger seething in his eyes like venom. I didn't understand what could make him so angry.

"Listen; if you're gonna be like this, I'm going to leave. I can't deal with you like this right now."

"No. Stay."

"Not if you're going to stay like this, Takeru."

He went silent. I sat next to him and he inched away.

"I hate it when you do that to me. You only use me to take your anger out on, and I'm sick of sitting here and taking it from you."

I turned to look at him, biting my lip to keep me from lashing out. He turned and looked me in the eyes; a cold, hard, look.

"Stop it, Takeru. You know that's not true. Don't even try it."

He slammed his cup of hot chocolate on the table, causing the hot liquid to spew everywhere. He stood up and looked down at me.

"Don't even try it? Don't even try it! All you ever do lately is come and get pissy and become Ms. Crabby-ass. What am I, your comfort? Something you use when you need to take anger out on something?"

Tears started coming. I wouldn't let them fall. "You know that's not true. You don't have a right to lash out on me for whatever the hell is making you angry. Don't start, Takeru, because I can't handle having something else stress me out this week. I have enough on my mind."

"Oh yea, sure, now I'm just another stressor in your life."

"You know I didn't mean it like that-"

"What else is new? You never mean anything."

I stood up and looked him in the eye. He was a good 3 inches taller than me. "There is absolutely no purpose for this fight, Takeru Takaishi, and if you are going to act childish like you are, then I'm leaving, and don't expect me to come back."

"Then leave, you stupid bitch!" He was breathing hard now. I had frozen. He had never called me such a name. He stepped back and started shaking his head.

"No, Hikari, I didn't-"

"You didn't mean it? No, Takeru. I'm pretty sure you did."

I turned around and started to leave, keeping my tears back. I didn't want him to see me weakened. He followed me to the door, trying to make me stay. Before I turned the handle and left, I turned around and faced him. I was disgusted by him at that point. He tried to stop me, but I put up a hand in protest. I took the ring he had given me off of my finger and placed it in his hands. I shook my head and turned around, opening the door and leaving.

-- End Flashback --

Now I was alone. The fight that we had, never had to happen. I was so angry at him, so completely upset with him, but the tears wouldn't stop falling. We had something so uniquely special between us; something that other couples just didn't share. He was my best friend, my escape from reality. No one knew how much I loved him. He completed me when I felt that there was no one else there for me.

After the fight we had today, though, something became very clear to me. We were in college; we were relatively young, and still growing. I had loved Takeru for a very long time. Sometimes, we were all each other had in times of trials. Our last few fights, however, made something clear.

The love that we shared for so many years just wasn't the same anymore. And it would never come back.

I spent a few more minutes at the park, waiting for the tears to stop. When they did, I took a deep breath. I needed to be getting back to my apartment. I grabbed my bag and started heading home, a heavy feeling placed upon my heart.

I woke up early the next morning, even after having a relatively hard time sleeping. I sat in bed for a long time contemplating my predicament with Takeru. Early morning sunlight came in through my bedroom window, creating shadows upon my wall. I knew what had to happen today.

I went into my small kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. I sat at the table and stared at my cell phone. I knew what I had to do, but there's a difference between knowing what you have to do and wanting to do it at all. I decided to text message him.

'TK, I need to see u. Come by my house 2? -Hikari'

I sent it to him and closed my phone, sighing. Awhile later, the coffee was ready. By that time, there were dried tears on my cheeks again.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting Takeru to come. He was upset with me, for whatever the purpose, and I couldn't figure out why. I made myself believe that he was going to come and got ready, cleaning up the living room a bit. I had just started on some tea when the doorbell rang. I left the pot for a minute to answer the door. It was Takeru. As much as I didn't want to, I looked up into his eyes.

"I…I'm glad you came."

"Yea…I know. We need to talk, I guess."

"Yea."

I invited him in and he took a seat on the sofa. I went into the kitchen and grabbed the tea I had made. I went back into the living room and set it down, pouring him a cup.

"Thank you."

I looked him in the eye for the first time since the fight. I saw the same sorrow I saw in my own eyes.

"Hikari…"

I remained quiet.

"I…I'm sorry, Hikari. I shouldn't have…I was so stupid…"

"But…things change sometimes."

"I know…"

I set my tea down on the table. "I love you very much, Takeru."

"I love you too, Hikari."

The tears that I had been avoiding started to fall at that point.

"Maybe the wonder and affection we had is over. Magical things can't last a lifetime, I guess."

He looked down into his cup and toyed around with the tea leaves. I could tell this was a conversation he didn't want to experience. He started to bite his lip, and then looked back up at me, his eyes glossed over.

"But wasn't this supposed to be destiny? It was supposed to be until death do we part, remember? We can get over this. We have to…we…"

I stopped him. "Takeru. What we had was a powerful thing. It was magical. I don't know anyone else who had it. But you and I both know that it's over." The tears were becoming overwhelming. "Sometimes you have to let go of the thing that's most precious to you so that you can move on."

He looked at me, and I smiled sadly. He nodded in silent agreement with me. We were completely silent from then on, not saying a word for another half an hour. We were both so upset, that words just wouldn't come. He suddenly dove into his pocket for something. When he bought it out, I saw it was the ring I had left with him last night.

"Here. I thought you might want it."

I shook my head. "Keep it."

He looked down in disappointment and put the ring back in his pocket.

"I should get going."

I nodded and got up, leading him to the front door. He put on his coat as I opened the front door to usher him out. It was still bitter and cold outside. I looked up at him before he left. It was as if we were frozen in time, gazing into each other's eyes. It felt as though if we stopped, the time that we spent together, the precious memories we shared, would be lost forever. Another tear fell solely down my cheek. He bent over and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I smiled weakly at him.

"Goodbye, Takeru."

"Goodbye."

He turned his back and left, heading for the elevator. I watched him get in, and as the elevator doors closed, I closed my own door. I stood there in disbelief for a moment, and I started to break down again. I slid to the floor in front of my door and hugged my knees to my chest, sobbing to myself. It all seemed so unreal, and I prayed that it would all just be a dream…

_Just a dream…_

_(5 years later)_

I sat up suddenly in bed, the hairs on the back of my neck on end. I was breathing heavily, still unsure of where I was from the shock of waking up. I was relieved to see that I was in my own bed, in my own house. I sensed that there was something missing. I looked at the place next to me, and saw that my husband was not there. Curious, I got up and padded into the kitchen. There he was, drinking a cup of water.

"You scared me. I didn't know where you were."

"Sorry. I got thirsty."

I smiled at him genuinely and gave in to the bear hug he offered. I felt completely safe in his presence. No one made me feel as protected and loved as he did. He set his cup in the sink, and then picked me up, carrying me accordingly back into the bedroom. He set me down on my side of the bed, leaning down slightly to give me a soft kiss. I got comfortable as he climbed into his side of the bed.

"Have any dreams tonight?"

I shrugged. "I did. But it wasn't important." I had remembered the dream I had of my past and didn't want to mention it.

"We'd better get to bed. We've got lovely work to go to tomorrow. Joy, right?"

I giggled softly. "Oh yes, joy."

He leaned forward and placed another soft kiss on my lips. I gladly returned the kiss, and then snuggled up next to him.

"Goodnight, Hikari. I love you."

"Goodnight, Takeru. I love you too."


End file.
